1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a light fixture mounting bracket, and, more particularly, to a light fixture mounting bracket for linear lighting.
2. Description of the Related Art
Light fixtures are known, and more particularly linear lighting fixtures, which in addition to providing suitable light for work areas, home, etc., also provide a decorative and/or aesthetic appeal to the indoor or outdoor environment. A variety of light fixture brackets are known which can attach a fixture to a junction box which box is typically mounted to a ceiling joist, for example. However, in the case of linear lighting, such a mounting bracket is not suitable, as the linear light fixture is typically flush mounted to a hung ceiling or mounted below a hung ceiling. Such a hung ceiling typically has a metal grid structure suspended from and below ceiling joists, and therefore is not in close enough proximity to the junction boxes to allow connection of the light fixture directly to the junction box. Further, even if a junction box was in close enough proximity to allow connection of the light fixture directly to the junction box, typical brackets, if used to mount the light fixture to the junction box, are detrimental to the decorative and/or aesthetic appeal of the fixture.
Canopy cans are known which provide a transition from the ceiling to the fixture which can typically be in the form of a metal cylinder. However, such canopy cans require a separate and additional bracket for assembly to the lighting fixture and/or ceiling. Although these canopy cans can help preserve the aesthetic appeal of the lighting fixture and mounting method, typical canopy cans are manufactured using a metal drawing process, and are thereby relatively expensive to manufacture.
What is needed in the art is a light fixture mounting bracket which is compatible with either a light fixture ceiling flush mount or light fixture mounted below the ceiling, which preserves the decorative and/or aesthetic appeal of the light fixture, and which is relatively cost effective to manufacture.